Saab marched to the beat of a different drummer, producing interesting and quirky cars. This 1974 Saab Sonett III was its attempt at bringing a sporting model to the market, although it never sold in the volumes originally envisaged. This project candidate has spent the past five years in this garage and has hit the market to settle an estate. The seller has listed the Sonett here on eBay in Bellevue, Washington. There have been no bids on this No Reserve auction that opened at $2,500. Therefore, there is a chance that someone could score this Saab at a bargain basement price.

Saab introduced the Sonett III as an evolutionary model in 1970. While it shared some styling cues with its predecessor, the company’s latest offering featured a crisper appearance and sharper lines. It remained in production until the Saab decided to retire the badge in late 1974 in the face of disappointing sales. Our feature car is a later example finished in Mellow Yellow, which was one of the seven shades on the Sonett color palette for that year. It has spent the past five years in this garage as a project that never took off. The owner’s recent passing has prompted the sale to settle his estate, and this beauty shows promise for those seeking an affordable restoration. The limited underside shots are inconclusive, but they seem to reveal nothing beyond surface corrosion. There is no evidence of steel penetration, and the seller doesn’t mention any known problems in their listing. The body looks nice, and the most significant cosmetic shortcoming is paint bubbling, mainly on the roof. These look to be the result of poor preparation during a prior repaint, which might prompt the new owner to strip the exterior to achieve a high-end result. The glass appears to be in good order, and this Saab retains its distinctive original wheels.

Saab followed a relatively conservative route with the Sonett’s mechanical specifications. Tipping the hood forward reveals a 1,699cc V4 that the company sourced from Ford. Shifting duties fall to a four-speed manual transmission, and although the power and torque figures of 65hp and 93 ft/lbs don’t sound impressive, the Sonett III is a surprise packet. Saab focused on bringing these cars to market with the lowest curb weight possible. This car will tip the scales at under 1,900 lbs, meaning that there isn’t much mass for the V4 to shift. Therefore, this classic will offer better performance than the figures might suggest. The seller confirms that this Sonett hasn’t run for around a decade, and they haven’t attempted to coax the engine back to life. That makes its mechanical health a lottery, but the parts required for an engine rebuild are readily available if that proves necessary.

The surprise packet with this Saab is its interior, which looks far better than I expected. It requires a deep clean, and the photo resolution isn’t great, but it appears that the Brown vinyl and cloth upholstered surfaces are free from holes and significant wear. The dash looks excellent, the gauges feature clear lenses and crisp markings, and the car retains its original AM/FM radio. An in-person inspection will probably reveal a few minor problems, but the overall appearance suggests that it could present acceptably for a survivor-grade vehicle after a few hours of work with some good-quality cleaning products.

I’ve always considered Saab’s demise one of the saddest days in automotive history. The company always took an unusual approach to design and engineering, and while there have been several attempts at revival, I believe that the marque has joined many in the dusty pages of history books. This 1974 Sonett III could be an excellent project candidate for the right person. It appears to be solid and complete, raising the prospect that somebody could revive it and return it to the road as a survivor-grade classic. Alternatively, it would rate as an excellent restoration project for a rookie. The lack of bids and the low listing statistics suggest that it won’t sell for a huge sum. That adds affordability to the equation, making this Saab worth a close look.